Cupcake size cream puffs

Why is it that I never see big cream puffs at the stores? I see them everywhere in Japan. There's even ice cream cream puffs at some stores. So I always wanted to make cupcake size cream puffs to satisfy myself. I think that I can say I succeeded in making them today. Last attempt in making them(I think it was last week) turned out horrible...they poofed up in the oven, but they just shrunk and became flat when I took them out. So that day, I felt disappointed but managed to remake them...in smaller size. I searched for different recipe to try today and decided on making this recipe. The author of the recipe gave out some helpful tips. I followed the tips and baked them at higher temperature than usual, and also I left the puffs in the oven for a while after they were done.

Because I baked them at higher temperature, they turned out looking awesomely rustic . I think the key was to leave them in the oven after they are done baking. They did not shrink :D They came out so poofy that some of them was super hollow (like the one in the pic)!


The puffs turned out great and all, but I forgot I had run out of regular white granulated sugar the other day. I needed the sugar for the custard cream and whipped cream. I had some dark brown sugar so I used that instead. I love making the custard cream in the microwave, its so easy and fast. Since I used brown sugar, the custard didn't really look like custard. It was brown. :(

For the whipped cream, I decided to put condensed milk along with little bit of brown sugar. I love the taste and the texture of custard cream and whipped cream combined. I fold the whipped cream in the custard, and it turns out fluffy and yummy for the cream puffs.

At the end, I didn't have enough cream for two of the puffs. I was not used to having puffs that were so poofy and hollow! Although two puffs are creamless, and I didn't have regular white sugar today, I am happy in the way they turned out. Yay!!